Surveyor s tackle-case



V W. H. PAINE. Surveyors. Measuring TaCkie' Case.

No. 29,096. Pate'nted July 10, 1860.

UNITED TA ion.

\(V. H. PAINE, OF SHEBOYGAN, \YISCONSIN.

SURVEYORS TACKLE-CASE.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, V. H. PAINE, of Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of isconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surveyors Measuring-Tackle Cases; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a partof this specification, in which Figure 1 represents one side of the case or box in which the measuring tape is coiled. Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side or back of the case of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a dialnetrical section taken through Fig. 1 or 2. Figs. A and 5 show the rings and the manner of attaching them to the ends of the measuring tape.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of this invention is to furnish the chain men, so called on account of thier occupation in measuring land, with a complete box of instruments consisting of a tape divided into yards, feet, links, or some other unit of measurement, a set of pins, usually ten in number, a thermometer, two peculiar rings or handles for the ends of the tape when it is in use, and an index plate for indicating tally at 66 feet, 100 feet, or any unit of measurement, as will be hereinafter described. The whole arrangement is to be combined and put up in a box in a very compact state, which box may be hung from the waist or neck of the follower, when measuring off-hand, for keeping the pins handy and for keeping the tally.

My invention consists firstly, in constructing a box for containing the articles, used by the chain man, in a novel manner, and in such a way that provision is made for receiving and holding the pins so that they may be kept always ready and at hand; a means is applied to the box for winding up the tape within the box, receptacles are furnished for holding the tape handles or rings; and lastly the box is furnished with an index plate, which, with the handle used in winding up the tape a very convenient means is obtained for keeping tally; all as will be hereinafter described and represented.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The case for receiving the several parts used in the operation of measuring consists of a circular plate A, having on its back a box or case B, with perforations in its top for receiving and holding the pins a, that are placed in the case in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, so that they may be readily removed by the chain man for use. By each side of the box B, are pockets C, C, for receiving the handles or rings of Figs. 4 and 5, when not in use or attached to the measuring tape. On the inside of the circular plate A, is placed another plate D, of less diameter (Figs. 1 and 3) and secured by a central pivot 12, Fig. 1. The edge of this latter plate is turned over, forming a drum around which the measuring tape is wound by rotating the plate about its axis taking hold of the handle E, for this purpose. At 0, Fig. 1, a portion of the rim of plate D, is cut out to admit one end of the tape F, as shown in Fig. 1, between a spring d, and the inside of the rim, the spring serves to hold the end of the tape by simply slipping the end between the spring and the rim. This attachment for the tape is simple and cheap and serves the desired end very well. The edge of the larger plate A, is turned over a suitable distance and a flat ring G, is soldered to the edge of plate A, which forms an annular recess around the disk D, leaving this plate with its handle free to be revolved. The surface of the ring G, is spaced off and numbered from 1 to 10, and by moving the handle E, which also serves as an index hand in this case, opposite these numbers on the ring, from one to the other, a tally account may be kept by the chain man H is a strap by which the case, thus described, may be attached to the body of the chain man who sticks the pins. I is a case for holding a small thermometer, by which the expansion and contraction of the tape may be determined, and then compensated for in a manner hereinafter described.

There are many objections to the chains that are made up of short links, and to those that are made of wire, or simply linen or cotton tape, and to remedy such objections I use a continuous fiat steel tape or ribbon F, portions of which are shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which when not in use is wound up within the case of Figs. 1 and 2, as shown in Fig. 1, in blue lines. This metal tape F, should be tinned on one side and partially tinned on the other side wherever the numbers oocur. Such a chain is not apt to twist and get entangled, or kinked, but changes of temperature will have the same effect upon it as in other metal chains, and to compen sate for this variation I have applied to one of the rings or handle J, J, Fig. 4:, an adjusting screw and scale which latter corresponds tothe scale on the thermometer attached to the case. This handle J, is bent up in a triangular shape and to it is attached a piece g, that is grooved to receive the end of the tape F, which end is confined in place by a pin that projects from a thumb spring it. An adjusting screw 7', is passed through a projecting portion of piece g, which carries on its end a gage plate is, through which the tape F, passes before it is secured to the piece g. Now it will be seen that by means of the gage plate 72, and the adjusting screw j, and having a mark on the end of the tape that comes opposite to one of the scale marks on the gage, that the difference in the length of the tape may be compensated for and the true length of the measuring tape always preserved. The

other handle J has a spirit vial u, attached to it, and also a piece 9, that is jointed to the spirit vial tube, which may be adjusted transversely with the tube by a set screw 0. The end of the tape F, is secured to the fabric g, in the same manner as the opposite end of the tape is attached to piece g. The object of the spirit vial is to obtain a level or horizontal plane, and of course correct measurement. When the tape F, is not in use the handles are to be detached and placed in their pockets in the case and the tape can then be wound up on the flange or rim of plate D.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The surveyors measuring-tackle case constructed of any suitable material essentially in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.

W. H. PAINE. WVitnesses:

CHARLES MEYER, JAooB I. VOLLRATH. 

